ASHHRA Health and Wellness Pulse
FROM ASHHRA
Dear Health Care Executives:
It is the holiday season again; are you being good? I know many of you out there have wellness programs that keep your health in check, but are those holiday cookies going to help you lower your BMI? I don’t think so. As the cookies and candies start to arrive in celebration of this festive season, remember, it is important to stay healthy. Instead of reaching for some chocolate (my personal downfall), try bundling up and taking a walk around the block. OR if you live in a frigid part of the country, think about going up and down the stairs a few times. Once the holidays are over, we are going to be left with great memories, but possibly tight pants if we are not careful. However, this newsletter is here to help you!!! This edition of the Benefits and Wellness Bulletin (BWB) will inspire you and your employees to stay motivated and save benefit claim dollars along the way. This edition will also provide new ways to inspire and invigorate your thought process and possibly save you dollars in all of your organizations as it pertains to wellness and benefits. You can even read this edition of the BWB on your smart phone while on a treadmill. To learn more, click here. We are here to help inspire you and your employees around improving your life and well-being. ASHHRA appreciates your dedication to health care, and we will continue to improve in assisting you in the way you do your work. Please feel free to email me at sdrake@aha.org for any reason—we are here to serve you, our valued members. Sincerely, Stephanie H. Drake ASHHRA Executive Director BENEFITS
By Justyn Harkin
Regardless of whether any given health care organization has a formal bring-your-own device (BYOD) policy with security protocols and guidelines for complying with HIPAA regulations and protecting company networks, there’s no denying the fact that employees own and use these devices. As anyone who’s ever observed a colleague sneaking under-the-conference-table glances at the smartphone in his lap can tell you, mobile devices are already in the workplace, and they’re here to stay. Visit http://www.naylornetwork.com/ahh-health/pdf/Dec._Why_Mobile_Makes_Sense_by_Jellyvision-Final.pdf to view the full article online. It takes top-down initiative and commitment to guarantee successful population health management, says Katherine Meacham, vice president of account management for HealthFitness. Here Meacham outlines 10 leadership keys for building and sustaining a culture of health.
SOURCE: EMPLOYEE BENEFITS NEWS Visit http://ebn.benefitnews.com/gallery/ebn/10-tips-infusing-health-your-sphere-influence-2729592-1.html to view the full article online. After a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision and an aggressively contentious national election, those hoping next year will be calmer could be out of luck. Financial experts weigh in on what changes executives and benefits professionals can expect for 2013.
SOURCE: EMPLOYEE BENEFITS NEWS Visit http://ebn.benefitnews.com/gallery/ebn/6-hr-benefits-predictions-2013-beyond-2729432-1.html to view the full article online. By Julie Appleby
As the deficit debate continues, some policy wonks think it’s inevitable that negotiators will address a loophole that allows workers to avoid paying taxes on the value of their job-based health insurance. SOURCE: TLNT Visit http://www.tlnt.com/2012/12/18/will-workers-lose-tax-break-for-health-benefits-in-fiscal-cliff-talks/ to view the full article online. By John Hollon
People everywhere crave immediate gratification, so why should it be any different when it comes to their employee benefits? SOURCE: TLNT.COM Visit http://www.tlnt.com/2012/11/28/what-benefits-do-employees-really-value-the-most/ to view the full article online. By Tristan Lejeune
As the job market improves and applicants grow pickier, companies need to work extra hard to retain the workers they have, and pay and benefits won't do it alone. Several recent surveys indicate that employers looking for that extra special something to attract and retain top talent need to place greater emphasis on work-life fit. SOURCE: EMPLOYEE BENEFITS NEWS Visit http://ebn.benefitnews.com/news/research-shows-work-life-balance-emerging-as-important-retention-factor-2729147-1.html to view the full article online. Fifty-four percent of Americans plan to retire by age 65, yet 36 percent are not actively contributing to a retirement plan, and 26 percent are unsure how much they need to save, according to a survey from Capital One ShareBuilder.
SOURCE: WORLD AT WORK Visit http://www.worldatwork.org/waw/adimLink?id=67765&from=Benefits News to view the full article online. By Susan Schoenfeld, JD
In late 2012, the U.S. Department of Labor launched its online Workplace Flexibility Toolkit to provide employees, jobseekers, employers, policymakers, and researchers with information, resources, and a unique approach to workplace flexibility, including leave issues. SOURCE: HR.BLR.COM Visit http://hr.blr.com/HR-news/Benefits-Leave/Work-Life/DOL-launches-virtual-workplace-flexibility-toolkit to view the full article online. By Elizabeth Galentine
From increasing involvement and understanding of benefits during the open enrollment process to guiding a plan participant through a wellness program, interactive technology is becoming an ever more important and prominent part of the employee benefits communication package. SOURCE: EMPLOYEE BENEFITS NEWS Visit http://ebn.benefitnews.com/news/online-avatars-help-employees-with-benefit-decisions-2729146-1.html to view the full article online. WELLNESS
By Charlotte Huff
Amid the proliferation of corporate weight loss efforts, some researchers worry that well-intentioned initiatives can risk employee backlash. Sprint Nextel and O'Neal Steel leaders describe how they strive to marry motivation and results. SOURCE: WORKFORCE.COM Visit http://www.workforce.com/article/20121114/NEWS02/121119981/corporate-weight-loss-initiatives-motivational-or-stigmatizing to view the full article online. By Rebecca Vesely
Depression ranks No. 1 of the top 10 risk factors linked to more than one-fifth of employer and employee medical spending, according to a new study. Annual medical spending for an employee with depression is $2,185 higher, or 48 percent more, than for a worker without depression, according to the study led by Ron Goetzel, research professor and director of Emory University's Institute for Health and Productivity Studies and vice president of consulting and applied research for Truven Health Analytics. The study was published in the November issue of Health Affairs. SOURCE: WORKFORCE.COM Visit http://www.workforce.com/article/20121128/NEWS02/121129984/depression-leads-in-top-risk-factors-for-employer-health-spending to view the full article online. By Terry Cralle
Are you one of the 30 percent of nurses who work the night shift? If you are, are you frequently tired or do you often find yourself fighting off sleep? Do you have difficulty falling or staying asleep? Do these sleep problems disrupt your social, family or work life? Have these sleep difficulties been present for at least one month? SOURCE: SCRUBSMAG.COM Visit http://scrubsmag.com/shift-work-disorder/ to view the full article online. By Jaclyn Dunham
Toronto East General Hospital (TEGH) is about to give hospital food a good name. Thanks to a $20,000 grant from the Ontario government’s Greenbelt Fund, TEGH is promoting and incorporating more local food into its meals. SOURCE: THE TORONTO OBSERVER Visit http://www.torontoobserver.ca/2012/12/13/toronto-east-general-redefines-hospital-food/ to view the full article online. By Heather Punke
Physician burnout is at worrisome levels, as more than 86 percent of the country's physicians are moderately to severely stressed or burned out, according to a recent survey by Physician Wellness Services and Cejka Search. Burned-out physicians are more likely to retire early or leave medicine altogether, which is troubling for hospital and health system executives who are trying to retain physicians while staring a physician shortage in the face. SOURCE: BECKER’S HOSPTIAL REVIEW Visit http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-physician-relationships/coping-with-physician-burnout-through-wellness-programs.html to view the full article online. By Mary Shedden
Vaccination stations at the elevators and parking garage were less-than-subtle reminders to workers coming and going from the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center campus that it was time to get ready for flu season. For three weeks, these strategically placed mini-clinics made it easy for the hospital's 4,200 employees to stop and get a flu shot. No vaccination? Prepare to wear a surgical mask at work throughout the entire season. SOURCE: MEDCITY NEWS Visit http://medcitynews.com/2012/12/more-hospitals-require-employees-to-get-flu-shots/ to view the full article online. By Rebecca Vesely
In an effort to inspire employees to take charge of their health, Kaiser Permanente in May launched an online nutrition program to encourage employees to eat more fruits and vegetables every day. Called Mix it Up, the program has a database of more than 120 possible fruits and vegetables to choose from. Employees signed up with the goal of eating at least five servings of produce per day. They have logged in to the site through their computer or a smartphone application, clicked on images of the produce they ate, then dragged them over to a virtual blender. Mix it Up then added up the number of fruits and vegetables eaten per day and tracked progress over time. SOURCE: WORKFORCE Visit http://www.workforce.com/article/20121030/NEWS02/121039995/theres-no-i-in-team to view the full article online. By Charles Slat
If you’re a Marlboro man or a Virginia Slims woman, your chances of getting a job at Mercy Memorial Hospital System might be going up in smoke. Following the lead of other health care facilities, MMHS has decided to hire only employees who declare they are "nicotine-free." SOURCE: MONROE NEWS Visit http://www.monroenews.com/news/2012/dec/15/hospital-smokers-tobacco-users-need-not-apply/ to view the full article online. Even though seven out of 10 Americans (71 percent) say they would be happier if they had more money, few are willing to make trade-offs between their families and their finances. Even the promise of a 50 percent pay increase wouldn’t be enough for most Americans to spend less time with their children and families. According to findings that are the first in a series of announcements from the "Keep Good Going Report" sponsored by New York Life, when Americans were asked what they would exchange for a 50 percent pay increase.
SOURCE: WORLD AT WORK Visit http://www.worldatwork.org/waw/adimLink?id=67646&from=Work-Life News to view the full article online. By Kelsey Brimmer
Employee wellness plans can be great cost savers for both health insurance companies and employers in the long run, but with new proposed rules and regulations around wellness plans set to begin on Jan. 1, 2014, employers and insurers are going to have to be careful about following more legal requirements. SOURCE: HEALTHCARE FINANCE NEWS Visit http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/wellness-programs-can-promote-cost-savings-will-have-more-strict-regulations to view the full article online. By Matt Dunning
The state-by-state analysis of obesity-linked disease rates and associated medical spending projects that obese individuals could account for 44 percent of all American adults by 2030 if obesity rates nationwide continue to grow at their current pace. SOURCE: WORKFORCE Visit http://www.workforce.com/article/20120920/NEWS01/120929989/obesity-related-conditions-could-add-66b-annually-to-medical-costs to view the full article online. By James Revels
In recent years, many businesses have initiated wellness programs for their employees. The ideal settings for wellness programs are hospitals and other health care facilities. Both inner city and community-based hospitals have really increased the use of these programs to not only focus on preventative care (diet, exercise, smoking cessation programs, and nutrition counseling), but also on financial wellness programs. SOURCE: MEDCITY NEWS Visit http://medcitynews.com/2012/11/add-money-management-advice-to-get-real-roi-from-a-corporate-wellness-program/ to view the full article online. By Joshua Love
When I stop and think about employee wellness, I have to step away from my day to day responsibilities and take a look from the employer perspective. I think it’s a no-brainer to install a wellness program at every company, no matter the size, demographic, location, or what service or product the company provides. My belief is that no company can be successful without paying attention to the well-being of their people—and people can’t be successful without feeling good every day. SOURCE: FORBES Visit http://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2012/11/28/4-steps-to-implement-a-successful-employee-wellness-program/ to view the full article online. 
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